Faculty Profile:
Wayne Ruga, PhD, FAIA, FIIDA, Hon. FASID
Founder and President, The CARITAS Project
Wayne Ruga has devoted his career to creating and supporting the development of environments that inspire the human potential. His primary area of focus is in demonstrating the role that the environment plays in enhancing human health and well-being, particularly in the healthcare setting. As a world leading authority and spokesperson on this subject, Dr. Ruga has developed an international reputation as a champion of keeping an intentional human-centered culture at the heart of planning decisions, design concepts, building solutions, and operational strategies.
A world-renowned architect, scholar, and visionary, Dr. Ruga launched The CARITAS Project as the next phase of his quest to develop practical resources to systemically and sustainably improve health and healthcare delivery with the design of the environment. He envisions a world that actively demonstrates the valuing of respect for human dignity. His goal for The CARITAS Project, which is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, is to provide the research, resources, and techniques that will bring this philosophy into mainstream practice. In pursuit of this aspiration, Dr. Ruga has designed structures, conducted and funded the development and dissemination of research, developed national and industry policy guidelines, produced symposia, and created networks of like-minded, inter-disciplinary professionals to work together toward the common goal of enhancing the health and well-being of all people.
Dr. Ruga founded the annual Symposium on Healthcare Design in 1985 and The Center for Health Design in 1993. As the founder, president and CEO, he was responsible for producing 12 Symposia, as well as publishing 10 journals of their proceedings, producing five significant research projects, and publishing 24 newsletters. He also started three design competitions and developed three built demonstration projects. During this time, he was also the leader of two international study tours, organized numerous visiting study tours, and developed graduate healthcare design programs in two universities.
In 1998, Dr. Ruga was awarded the highly competitive Loeb Fellowship in Advanced Environmental Studies within the Graduate School of Design at
Currently residing in
Dr. Ruga is a highly sought after public speaker and has given scores of lectures at major universities and professional meetings worldwide. A prolific author, he has had dozens of articles published, has had his work recognized in books written by his peers, and has been featured in more than 50 professional, trade, and consumer publications. Dr. Ruga received his professional training as an artist, interior designer and architect. He holds a specialized Master of Architecture degree in healthcare facility planning and design from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has been employed by internationally recognized firms in
Dr. Ruga is a recognized leader in innovative thinking and in the producing of systemic change. He holds four
Dr. Ruga is a registered architect in